Heartstrings
by WhiteGloves
Summary: The game's afoot. Tracker Jacker venom is misused when it was developed into a drug. Soldiers from the Capitol came but it's not only District 12 at danger. Katniss and Peeta once again try to ward off insanity away from them but with the mind at lost what would be of the heart? The string that binds them together is threatened by inhuman enemies. Are they back in the Hunger Games?
1. The Arrival

**HEARTSTRINGS**

_by: WhiteGloves_

**Chapter 1: The Arrival**

_"It's a lifetime wait_

_To fall in love in dust no hate_

_With brilliant stars up the crate_

_I see your eyes full of faith!"_

_**Enjoy Reading!**_

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><p>I open my eyes and decide—<em> no nightmares again.<em>

I shift on my bed and instantly knew the reason why—he was wrapped on my arm with my head slump down on his broad shoulder, clearly fast asleep. I listen to the rhythmic beating of his heart and could answer that it was real, true—him being here, with me again.

Peeta.

I don't move and keep myself at his side. We share the bed ever since he joined me back in District 12 after the War. Well, not automatically but we did eventually. Peeta knows I need him; _I know I need him._

I glue my head on his shoulder and breaths his scent. Gone are the days that I take him for granted. Now he is all I can care about. Well, there is always Haymitch and Buttercup but my feeling for Peeta has long surpassed my comprehension, even my expectation.

I just love him so dearly to the point that it pains me.

I cannot _not_ be by his side.

Since when have I become so attached to him?

I open my eyes to the surrounding and see the crack of dawn from the light outside the window. It is almost time for Peeta and me to be working outside again. Not that it is much of work but we busy ourselves with many things—which includes feeding Buttercup and splashing water to Haymitch even though it is unnecessary.

This is the peaceful life I get after having Peeta with me. Without him it is just impossible to carry life on my own. For one, he is the person who emits the brightness of life where as I am the complete opposite. I am a person who retrospects a lot. This is my retrospection.

I feel Peeta stir and I raise my chin to him expectantly. To meet his blue eyes that remind me of the sky is an incredible thing. I find myself always lost looking at them.

"Hey," he says, taking a peck on my lips and gives me a smile that always hunts my dreams.

"Hey," I answer, raising my palm on his cheek to touch the corner of his lips. I am reminded of how he can easily weave his words out as if it is as natural as breathing, reminded of how his gentle hands can bring to life breads and paintings, and reminded once again of how he is the one who brings and takes the life out of me.

I smile.

"Why are you so wonderful?" I ask. Then suddenly realizing what I said I have a moment of embarrassment. I have always thought about it but I don't expect saying it out loud to drain me.

Peeta keeps his eyes at me with that familiar tug of smile on his lips.

"What?" he shifts on the bed to face me. I refuse to take my eyes away from him even though I am embarrass just to see his eyes focus on me. "Repeat that one, please?"

I jerk my hand on his shoulder and he laughs.

"You heard me the first time," I say with a smile lingering by me too and a fuzzy feeling at my stomach. "If you don't stop I'll puke on you."

"P-puke on me?" this brought more laughter in the room and the engaging sound he makes is too strong it made me join him. "Where did that come from?"

"My stomach's acting up." I tell him and in instant I see concern cloud his eyes and he shifts on the bed.

"Are you...?" he hesitates and I see his eyebrows creasing, "by any chance is someone kicking in it already?"

I stare at him, lost for a moment of what he said and then had to remind myself we have never stepped that invisible line yet no matter how in love we are. That is something I am not yet prepared. He doesn't say it but I know Peeta's more than ready.

But it's not about him. It is me. The Hunger Games' shadow is still right behind me... and I'm sure it will be on my children too like how my father's death got my mother... how it got me from Prim.

I am not ready... will always be on the word _never _to have my own children.

Yet I cannot keep the thought out of my head as I bury his face on a soft pillow after I throw it to him.

"You jerk." I say, hearing him give a snort as he pull the pillow away to see me move out of the bed.

"I was gonna say," he goes on as he followed me with a sudden sad smile on his lips. I turn to him.

"Peeta," I say with a hesitant shrug, "you know I can't—"

"I know," he also gives a shrug, "I was just about to say waiting for six years, you know... six years."

He gives the number much emphasis but I can see his understanding of my situation. He has always been the considerate one between the two of us. The patient one. The kindest. I always think he'd make an excellent father.

We let the discussion drop and decide to prepare breakfast.

I can't say our life has been monotonous in District 12 what with our people returning from time to time after the war. The civilization is already back after a couple of years and is alive even after the war. This is the idea that never crossed my mind while playing the game. To have a normal life after the war.

Back then all I can think about is me dead and Peeta alive. There is never the me living with someone I love. I have given that up. But now that we are both here it is taking me too much to adjust.

Thankfully, he is with me.

We are preparing for our other tasks after breakfast when Haymitch came knocking on the door. It is not rare to see him do that but it is also not often. Haymitch may have liked us but it never stops him drinking and killing himself with liquor. It never stops me throwing water on his face either.

"Morning' sweethearts," he says, climbing inside the house with an almost sober look but I know better than be fooled by that, "anything filling to the stomach?"

I don't find this surprising since he likes eating with us. In the mornings that he doesn't join us I usually think he has died, but by the next morning he creeps back on our door to me and Peeta's amusement. Even Buttercup has a thing to say to him. A hiss.

We can never get a load of Haymitch around.

"Be specific," comes Peeta, "either you're asking for it raw or burnt."

"Mundane." Haymitch mutters, as I press a smile and go to the dining table to prepare his food.

"You know you've promised the mayor you'd paint the Central Hall today," Haymitch goes to say as he sits by the table and bites on a leg of a cold goose we served for dinner. "and the walls outside it, and the school and my house."

"I thought you said you don't want me messing with your house wall?" Peeta says as he waits on the sofa for me to finish putting on my gloves to prepare for hunting.

"It's free of charge, isn't it? Wouldn't be bad to add some color."

Peeta and I look at him and then to each other. Haymitch continues indulging himself with the food and then says, "So when can you start?"

That gets us two to stand side by side forming a wall in front of him. For Haymitch to sound agitated for a house painting? Clearly something is up.

"What?" he asks defensively when Peeta and I eye him with suspicion.

"Haymitch, even if you're sober you're not the type to ask for a paint job." Peeta says with a smile at the end of his sentence.

"And be eager about it." I end with a firm smirk on my face.

Haymitch looks guilty for a moment before he rolls his eyes.

"All right, fine. We've got visitors."

Both Peeta and I look at the man in front of us, completely surprised. It's not that we don't have visitors in District 12, but whenever we do it usually is Capitol matters; matters that cannot be answered by merely sending messages to the mayor. The last time it happened was when there was an outbreak of a contagious flu and medical team from District 4 came when medicine from our factories couldn't handle it. I remember because I was half expecting my mother to be there but she's not. If it was the pervious Capitol that we know, the one that launched the Hunger Games, no such team would have been sent.

Sending the medical team back then was one of the proofs that everything after the revolution has changed. That the Capitol is made for the people by the people. And for the people it cares.

"Why are we having visitors?" Peeta's voice beats mine like always when it comes to speaking. As far as we are all concerned nothing that deserves to have any team visit from the Capitol has happened.

Haymitch looks up at us and this time it was his turn to inquire with a frown.

"Don't you two ever turn on your television? Plutarch will have you executed for neglecting news broadcasts."

Peeta and I exchange looks again. As far as we are both concerned, the television has remained dead to the world ever since the last headline of Plutarch's presidency which was just last month. It would never have been opened if it not for the election. True, watching other Districts rise up from the ashes bring us hope, but watching what they call 'entertainment' built up where they show fancy actors and actresses portraying roles of unimaginable fictions get to my nerves. Even Gale sometimes. So Peeta and I both agreed that aside from the newscasts, nothing of the sorts really interests us anymore.

And the fact that it consumes too much of our time when we could have been hunting, painting, baking or spending time together. Our hobbies do require much attention.

"So we don't, what did we miss?" I say without hesitation. The idea of having sudden visitors does intrigue me. Or maybe it's not so 'sudden' seeing as Haymitch wants to prepare for it.

Haymitch rolls his eyes and gulps in water.

"Soldiers from the Capitol," he answers, taking another bite. "Yes, you should be alarmed." He adds seeing the looks on our faces. "Not knowing what's happening to the world, you really are living in your own world, huh?"

"Is there another rebellion?" I go on, "Has Plutarch been sacked already?"

"Easy and don't get excited." I can see an unexpected smirk on our former mentor's face, "So you do have that kind of thinking about Plutarch, huh?"

"Haymitch," I say impatiently while Peeta crosses his arms.

"I don't think it's about Plutarch or any revolution otherwise he wouldn't be sitting here and asking me to paint his house."

He's got a point and I let the nervous clutch on bow ease away.

"It might not be about any rebellion but you still wouldn't like the idea," the man stops keeping us in the dark finally, "you've heard about those they call 'Jack Users'? The Capitol believes they are hiding in certain districts and it's not just 12. Jack Users are everywhere."

Jack Users. The name registers on my memory and I remember a certain event a couple of years back where the authorities forbid the usage of a certain drug they simply called 'The Jack.' There were plenty of other drugs sold around a long way back but nothing stronger than The Jack. I remember watching tons of news about this before and how it became out of control because of the Black Market.

And you'd think people would have learned their lesson from a certain war we all fought in without them destroying themselves for something like drugs.

"It's not about the government anymore," Peeta said before after seeing what abusers were like under the influence of drugs—those who kill others for the sake of it—or even worst because they have lost it. "It's about the people themselves... their lives and how they affect others. In this kind of a free country... killing another person would only appear to be... your own choice."

I remember having goose bumps run up my spine after he said that.

To kill a person by choice. I realize I don't want to compare it to any metaphors.

Killing is killing. And to find that those Jack Users are supposed to be here in my District?

I feel my hand clutch my bow again.

"And yet you're worried about your paint job because...?" I don't know why Peeta is pressing Haymitch with this knowing what danger lies before us and our few neighbours, but I find myself strangely amused by how Haymitch seems appalled that Peeta hasn't dropped the topic.

"It's to make an impression!" the old mentor brushes us off as he stands up and then heads towards the door looking a bit disgruntled, "you two are not paying much attention to that news and I'm telling you, you should. Make yourselves presentable when those soldiers come. You know full well you are heroes in their eyes no matter what lunacy has come after your names."

He's got a point, I think as he disappears from our doorway and I turn to Peeta.

One look at him says it all and we both burst out laughing.

It is because at the end of the day, we both know that Haymitch _never _and will _never_ make an impression for anyone not even for the visit of the President of the Capitol even if his life depended on it.

So then, why is Haymitch trying so hard?

We find it out a week later.

Peeta spends most of his time in town because of his paint job in Central Hall and I came by every afternoon to bring him a basket of food and a change of clothing. Peeta maybe one of the cleanest guy I ever know but he just loses caring when he's got his whole attention in his art.

That's one of the reason I would stay with him during the afternoon hours, leaving my bow behind and just watching him paint in the canvas of the wall of a building. The way he focuses on each stroke of his brush makes me want to keep my eyes on him until he is finished. He is happy with what he is doing.

And I feel satisfied watching him.

The day they came, I was in my usual seat behind Peeta who is putting the last white coating for Thom's shop. He's gotten used to my presence that sometimes I think being there or not makes no difference to him. The idea somehow makes me want to throw a bucket at him but self dignity is in the way.

The train was heard and the townspeople raised their heads in attention. The train station is just behind the Central Hall and Thom's shop building is just a few steps from the Central Hall so we have a pretty good view of those who are coming.

Come they did.

Soldiers from the Capitol wearing dark flexible suits carrying arms and weapons marches in the middle of the street. I watch them with interest thinking how black suits the authorities better than white. Remembering those Peacekeepers before. White might mean pure and clean but it never suited them.

I can only think of few people that has what it takes to keep the White: Prim and Peeta.

I glance at Peeta and see that his attention is also at the marching band of soldiers. I turn my attention back at them and see them get greeted by the mayor, Alphonse.

"Look," Peeta says to me as we stand side by side, "it's Haymitch."

To my surprise and delight, I see Haymitch, in a very clean shirt and unnaturally combed hair, walk toward them and extend his hand to who appeared to be the leader of the troupe: a woman with such auburn hair greet him and Alphonse with a hard face. She is probably the leader.

"Women are dominating the world." Peeta whispers on my ear and I have the satisfaction of nudging his side with my elbow. He smiles at me until we notice Haymitch waving at us and is motioning for us to come closer.

"Uh-oh," Peeta tells me as we both walk slowly toward the group, "I haven't brushed my hair. Help me, Katniss." I clutch his shoulder.

It was all I could do to contain my laughter to myself.

We stand in front of what appeared to be a dozen members of the soldiers all looking at us with curious eyes and interests. It suddenly reminds me of the Hunger Games and why they know us. At least why they know me—I was branded to be a lunatic couple of years back.

This doesn't seem to be Haymitch's concern.

"Katniss, Peeta, this is Vana, she's the officer in charge of the troupe sent here in District 12."

I look at her in the eye and it suddenly makes sense—why Haymitch is acting so different. It is her. With her armed uniform and bristling brownish red hair, I see a woman with fire in her eyes. She is beautiful too.

"Thank you for giving them a grasp of the obvious, Haymitch," she sends to him with a bit of humour and firmness I rarely see any woman do, then she turns to face the male grownups, "but chit chat's over, I need to see people working. You know we're here because of one goal and that is to capture the Jack Users. I need you guys to let my soldiers go around right after we've settled our campsite. Mayor Alphonse I'd like to hear the recent reports of your officers who are watching over your border line and would like to see the estimated population you've got. I also need complete details of what your medical team has got in order to settle necessary machines in case of emergencies because my medical team might need to use them."

"You brought your own medical team?" I ask, clearly reminding them that Peeta and I are still around earshot when they should be discussing this in private.

"I did." Officer Vana turns a look at me and gestures her hand to at least three people in her team. I notice right away the only woman my age with dark hair tied in a ponytail carrying a metal case with her. Why wouldn't I when I see her blue green eyes watching Peeta closely?

"It's not just about capturing the Jack Users, Ms. Everdeen," Vana turns her attention to me again and I find myself meeting them. I've never been intimidated by anyone and I certainly don't feel like it right now. I met her olive green eyes. "It's also about Peeta and his future sessions with the medical team."

"What?" I know it came out of me angrily but I am really angry. My hand shot out of nowhere toward Peeta's arm and I am pulling him close to me. "What are you talking about?"

Vana's eyes immediately raises to Haymitch who considers for a moment and then stays silent.

"You were suppose to tell them, Haymitch." The lady troupe leader says in a suddenly sharp voice.

"I might've missed that... yeah." Is Haymitch's only defense.

Well, if he wants to be in her good side, he is not playing his cards well. I might as well splash water in his face to wake him to this reality but I can careless. Not when Peeta is concerned.

My scowl never left my face. Vana gives a sigh before standing in front of me and Peeta. She looks around making sure nobody else was in earshot; she needn't need to though, the District 12 townspeople know when it's not their business to mind. Especially when they see the Mayor and we, people from the Victor's Village are concerned.

"I am sure you are aware that the drug '_The Jack'_ is from the venom of Tracker Jackers?"

"Yeah," Peeta responds while my scowl deepens.

"Some dangerous people in the Black Market have developed another way to use Tracker Jacker venom as a form of drug that gives hallucination to people. Not just fear this time. They've developed it into something else. It gives pleasure and the promise of elation. 'Jack Users' are those people who have become mad under the influence of that drug. It kills them slowly. And they kill for it."

"What's that got to do with Peeta?" I say with somewhat of an idea why they need him.

Vana's eyes transfers from Peeta to mine. And then she says it: Peeta is to help them develop an anti drug since he was one of those who came back after such exposure to it. That it's not about subjecting him to it, more like he shares what it's like and how he overpowered it.

"You don't need to worry." She assures me as if she is reading what's on my mind, "We're not going to make him go through anything dangerous. Just some questions and tests."

Didn't they have the same tests done to him in District 13? I question again, uncertain.

She answers that since Peeta is here in District 12, they have the privileged to interview him themselves.

"Katniss," Peeta holds my hand and smiles at me, "it's no big deal to me. It's okay."

His smile wins me and I give up the subject.

"You on the other hand, Ms. Everdeen, may want to give us a helping hand too?" Vana looks at me as if sizing me up, "We know you're well aware of the territory of District 12 and you're an excellent shooter. Your help will really be appreciated."

It seems like Haymitch did his part reporting to her about me. Am I going to be one of his stepping stones toward her? I give Haymitch a look and see him wink at me. So I am going to be a part of the hunting squad, huh?

It was Peeta's turn to scowl.

"We better bring the rest of the subject to a place with four walls," Haymitch says at once, "Mayor Alphonse can take your troupe where they can put the camp and we can discuss it over my house, what do you say?"

And thus the reason for the painting. But it's not just about the outside, Haymitch, you better clean the inside— I want to tell him that as Peeta and I catch each other's eyes again and press our lips and not let out a sound.

As the mayor separates the soldiers from us and Haymitch leading us I distinctly notice her again—that young woman who is about my age, looking at Peeta. Peeta probably felt her gaze because as soon as he turns his head he catches her eyes.

And she smiles at him intensely.

I am surprised beyond anything and that little feeling I felt once before, when Peeta chatted animatedly with a certain tribute named Johanna, came ripping at me.

What was that about?

I turn my head and walk ahead, hearing Peeta call my name but I ignore him.

For some reason I want to end it all—this visit. I want to make it as short as possible and them out of the District even if it meant cutting Haymitch's love story short. Because I don't feel comfortable feeling that way.

That is when I swear I'd put my mind in hunting the Jack Users.

My mind jumps at my arrow and bowstring.

With the game at hand I know I need them.

Then again—is this the real game I am going to play?

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><p><strong>~To be Continued~<strong>

A/N: "Are you...Are you... Coming to the Tree?"

**_Thank you for reading!_**


	2. The Sign

**HEARTSTRINGS**

_by: WhiteGloves_

**Chapter 2: The Sign**

_"Of all the monsters I hate_

_Myself utmost of late!"_

_**Enjoy Reading!**_

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><p>It is no surprise to me to see the soldiers make a camp at Victor's Village.<p>

Frankly speaking, it's no surprise to me to see newly built tents meters away from my house almost next to Haymitch's at all. Not that I know he's succeeding with his romance, but I do know I'm suppose to not pay attention to it. Haymitch doesn't like meddlesome people.

Which comes to the idea that Haymitch probably hated me the moment he saw me? Peeta said he generally doesn't like meddlesome people but throughout the years that the three of us were together, I guess 'meddling' with the other is somewhat like a tradition already.

Is baiting your former tributes to get the romance of your life considered meddling?

"I bet he's supposed to remind us when he visited here last time when he told us about the visitors, remember?" Peeta tells me as the two of us stay by the fireside discussing the matter at hand that night, "he just wasn't able to reach the important parts."

"He left out you and me having anything to do with it." I say, somewhat annoyed that he is defending Haymitch when he could have been angry like me, "he's really irresponsible."

"Well, it's Haymitch." He places a pitcher on the side table and sat opposite me, "he wouldn't have agreed or proposed for us to be involve if he knew it was dangerous, right?"

"The fact that it's Haymitch," I counter with a straight look at him, "makes me wonder what the measure of the word 'danger' is in this one. Peeta we're dealing with drug users."

"I know." Peeta pauses a little, and then clasps my hand into his. The feel of his hands always makes me wonder if he has just baked something in the oven. It's so warm. "Well, we just gotta trust him in this one, don't we? Haymitch wouldn't risk us, you know that."

"Tell that to him when he's not so busy checking out the lady in the arms."

He presses a smile. I know he noticed it too. I want to return the smile he gave me but found my stomach lurching and realizes the anxiety I am feeling has nothing to do with hunting the drug users.

Without saying anything, I raise my right hand and touch his face. He welcomed the feel of my palm on his cheek and for a moment we stay like that for a minute.

"Let's not agree to this." I whisper finally, watching his blue eyes catch mine and focus on me. I trace his lips with my thumb, "Peeta... I don't want you relieving your nightmares because I'm sure that's what they want you to do."

There, I said it. The bottom of my fear.

Peeta remains quiet, and I reach my other hand on his cheek. He maintains that peaceful look as if nothing could make him happier than to stay like that. I wonder if I look like that whenever he touches my face. Comfortable, satisfied, happy. I feel my lips curl in a smile.

"Yeah." He suddenly whispers and I feel a knot untying itself from the pit of my stomach, "But then you also have to promise me not to go with them in the hunt. Promise me you won't join them, Katniss."

He looks me in the eye and that's when we start kissing. I feel the knot evaporating entirely.

When we look at each other again I know my face must have been pink. Peeta catches my lips again and I respond. The second time we break apart he continues speaking.

"We'll be ignoring them and let them do whatever it is they came here for. Let them scavenge their way around the borders; let them figure out the best way to help the abusers. Let the Capitol solve the problem without getting former rebels into it. We will have a peaceful life. District 12 will just have to rely on outside force to be saved as those Jack Users kill the townspeople from left to right."

Even before he stops speaking I know what he is trying to tell me.

We can't ignore our townspeople. We can't ignore those soldiers. We're no cowards.

"Katniss, I don't believe you when you say you won't be joining the hunting party," Peeta whispers on my ear as I wrap my arms around his neck, "I don't believe you can just sit and watch as trouble makes it way to this District, no."

"Can you sit in into this one?" I ask him hopefully but I know it is impossible. He gives me that knowing look. "Oh, Peeta." Then I realize as our forehead touch that this is what we do. We try to convince each other with the success rate always in minimal zero. Especially when it comes to protecting each other.

The next morning I find Haymitch at the doorstep of our house in his combat outfit wearing almost exactly as that of soldier Vana. I don't remember Haymitch giving us her full name. I just hope we're not having a first name basis. Then I realize if that's not her first name then Haymitch is still at zero advantage.

My scowl is probably shown on my expression because when Haymitch sees me he gives me that one defensive look.

"I didn't come here to argue, all right sweetheart?"

"I don't think you should be using 'sweetheart' casually anymore when she's around, you know what I mean?" I take my bow from the back of the door and slung it on my shoulder. Haymitch stares at me and then clears his throat when we are joined by the captain herself.

""Looking sharp, Ms. Everdeen," she tells me, completely ignoring Haymitch's presence as she looks behind him and nods, "you'll be heading to the medical facilities, Mr. Mellark."

Peeta appears behind me wearing a white shirt and a blue jacket that compliments his blue eyes. He nods ones, gives me a kiss and whispers we'll be sure to see each other on lunch time.

"Be careful," he emphasizes as he squeezes my shoulder and then goes down the pavement, looking back only to wave at me before he is gone.

I look at where Peeta disappears and then to my new companions. I found Vana's troupe assembling in front of me with weapons on. I consciously clutch my bow.

"There's been a breach of security last night," the captain proceeds to tell us that made me look at her, startled.

"What?" I say.

"Apparently all the electricity around the city got cut off for an hour. Are you aware of that?"

I shook my head and so did Haymitch. I usually sleep with the lights off and on Peeta's arm.

"The fences." I then mutter with sudden realization and Vana knew instantly what I meant.

Wondering if it will only take us half a day to scout the border lines of the District, I lead six members of the squad to the earthy road towards the meadows while Vana tells us she left half her squad to guard the townspeople in our absence. It was an early start with the sun still about to rise up from the horizon but the thought of our defences lowered without our knowledge shook me. I answer questions directed at me from time to time as we slide down and climb up the moist earth about illegal stuff I do back in the days. I don't tell them all though.

There is still the path Gale and I always took back in our times of hunting. It never disappeared. Probably because I'm still there to use it or there are already other people aside from me who is braving the outside of the border line to the fence. I don't find this surprising; ever since the revolution, going outside the fence has been less strict but the Capitol points out the importance of keeping ourselves from the mountains as they believe one does not know what goes on to places undiscovered.

How to discover them without getting lost, however, that has been my question ever since that announcement. I've always been itching to explore out, to find out more.

Maybe this is my chance to do so; while hunting another set of mutts.

I immediately erase the thought from my head and decide to concentrate on. The Jack Users are no mutts, I bang that to my head as I weave our way down the woods. It is a piece of cake for the soldiers and in no time I find myself synchronizing with their rhythm: combat rhythm, alert and vigilant. It is easy for me, easy as breathing what with my keen hearing and sight at its maximum. I remind myself that this time I am not hunting for animals. This time I am hunting for criminals. How overly familiar this sensation is.

After an hour of searching, I find myself kneeling on the ground with a frown on my face while the others look around. With my ears strained, I can even hear Haymitch's uneven breathings. Maybe a little stop won't kill him now. I look down the ground again.

"Where are we?" asks one large man whom I bet is from District 11 with a name tag _Summers _on his chest. The other three soldiers were tagged Marcus, Hummel and Flint.

"We're near the fences," I say, standing up and looking around, "we've covered up the paths I know any foreigners who enter the fences from the east might take."

"And?" comes Haymitch's voice, knowing full well that I have something on my mind.

"There are some strange tracks I've been seeing since coming down the meadows," I admit, looking at Vana in the eye. She turns to me.

"Probably the Jackers who have already entered thru last night. When was the last time you visited this woods?"

"Last week," I tell them, "two days ago I used the northern woods."

Vana stays silent for awhile, and then looks up the trees.

"Let's head for the fences." She says.

It didn't take us long to reach the fences where the chain links that surrounds District 12 is found. By the time we reach it I know already that something or _someone_ has already come by them. Everyone gathered around the chain that appears to be bent into a curve. I warn them not to touch it since we can hear the humming sound of the electricity whenever it is on so we inspect from a distance.

There are every sign that neither one nor two people went pass them. There is also the evidence of soil footprints on the white stone pedestal of the fence that marks not one pair but more people stepping on it.

"That says everything." Says Marcus as we stand by, still inspecting the prints. "Unless curious citizens of District 12 are having parties outside this border."

"It can't be anyone from the District," I say with certainty as I gaze over the woods I usually go on to hunt, "We're already so few and most people living here are too old to explore or too young to even go out of their houses."

Vana glances around. "Since when has the electricity been on?"

"Last week, after the Capitol announces the alarming rate Jack Users growing in every District and escapes from authorities." Haymitch answers and I try to remember the last time I notice the fences alive. It was two days ago since I last went hunting but I was nowhere near any fences. I look back at the trail up the meadows towards woods, thinking they are filled with concealed Jack Users.

"Well, they got in no problem alright." Vana sighs.

"These Jack Users," I find myself saying with my finger caressing the arrow at my hand, "Are they armed?"

I mean if they are not... I sure will not have any desire to hunt them, let alone kill them. This is not how I play the games. These Jack Users are not animals. They are still humans as far as I am concerned. Thinking of the games, I find my hand suddenly grip my bow and look up, only to find everyone else looking my way. I stare back.

"Doesn't District 12 have satellites for television?" Vana turns to Haymitch with raise eyebrows.

"Ah, well, you gotta understand how people are... different," Haymitch opens his palms and shrugs at me while I make no attempt to defend myself, "others just simply... care less of what's behind the camera these days."

"Ms. Everdeen," Vana suddenly gives me a long look as I stand my ground with chin still held high. I won't make excuses. I can't believe she looks all so serious just because I neglected what's on the news, "When a person uses the Jack... they simply are not the same anymore. They are no longer humans."

My hard expression left my face as I understand what she is explaining.

"What do you mean?"

"The Jack from the Tracker Jacker venom is potent substance to the brain that one dose can obliterate any sense of being a person. Therefore no longer a person." comes Flint's voice and I realize he is one of the three medical soldiers Vana introduced to us yesterday, "It is a poison to the mind; hallucinations and nightmares set together to appear real. It becomes the world of the Jack User and it drives them to corners no longer able to tell the difference of happiness to sadness, of morality and immorality, of death and life. All human values are destroyed, everything that keeps a person humane. So what's left is a human shell, unable to think on its own but still has one desire and that is to take more of the virus to its body until it is totally destroyed."

"They can't know how to achieve it anymore ones they are at the stage of human shell so they eventually destroy what's around them, like animals on riots." Hummel's voice makes me turn to him on the left, "but the last stage is not what we want to worry about. We want to worry about the stage where they are still thinking like humans but act like animals."

I do not let a gasp escape my lips no matter how bad it wants to. I remain still, standing and absorbing the horrors of what they are explaining to me.

"These are the people who'd do anything just to get their hands on the Jack," Haymitch says as he leans on a tree with a dark look on his face, "it's true that the Capitol has forced the Black Market to stop its activities but only at the Capitol. Soon the Black Market spread around District 1, 2, 3... So on, you name it. They sell drugs to the highest prize and let people go nuts. At the beginning developers must have seen this as another way to distract people... to please people. Until it became out of hand. Until they realize that those who are destroyed by the Jack won't stop to their last breath until everything is destroyed. That's what it means to be under the influence of drugs."

"But why...?" I find my voice again and there is scepticism in my voice, about the people who'd take the pleasure on using the drugs and then later on if they know, get destroy themselves, "why would people want to use that?"

"Those who first became prey to it are those who could not move on after the war," Vana's hard voice catches me and I turn to her. She looks grim. "Those people who could not erase the horrors of the war... losing their love ones, losing their homes... almost losing their sanity. So they try to find a way to escape."

A long pause comes between us and for a moment nobody of us spoke.

I fix my eyes on my bowstring, thinking... thinking how close I had become to be one of those people. When I look up I find Haymitch looking at me as how I am looking at him.

"District 12 has been infiltrated by Jack Users so to speak so we have to search every parameter of these woods." Vana says, almost automatically. "We'll alert the Capitol and the citizens. The mayor has got to know we're already dealing with the worst."

An hour or so of searching in the woods for any more signs of the Jack Users allowed me think over what has just been discussed. I play it over and over in my mind; about how I came back in District 12 in pieces right after my sister's death. About how many times I wished for the pain to end; about how I wished for my life to end to finish it all. An offer of escaping reality back then would have been appealing to me. I probably would have been one of those people who would be willing to take it.

Am I sympathizing with them?

No signs of enemies are found and we are more alerted to the fact that they may be lingering inside the District already so by noon we all decided to return. Haymitch says we should cover all the tracks leading to town so we separated by team. I go alone.

Covering every places of the woods that I am so familiar with is pretty easy yet time consuming at the same time. For one, whenever I notice peculiar tracks I would stop to inspect until it leads me to another track. Then going around, I would return to my first track until I am distracted by another clue. This went on for some time until I notice the orange sun setting on me.

Blinking hard at the sun, I realize I did not notice the time. Blinking even harder, the orange sun reminded me of Peeta. That is when I remember our promised lunch so without further ado, but with cautiousness to my surrounding, I track my way out of the woods to where I know the path that leads to the meadows back to town.

And as I walk back, I berate myself for missing lunch. Surely Peeta won't wait for me and would have taken his meal already, right? After all, triggering the mind for horrific memories is far exhausting than walking up and down the mountain.

Hating myself because I know the answer, I head to Victor's Village only to find the lights off and the house empty. Sudden impulse to run toward it and shout Peeta's name overcome me. What with the new threat of the Jack Users in town, I can't think of anything but enemies around. I stride toward the house and nearly jump to the doorway when I heard Peeta's voice somewhere—more like a shout.

My worry subsided after I hurry toward the place where I can hear his voice. It's because I realize he's not shouting because of pain. He is shouting in an angry voice. I walk toward the voices where there was an already open street lamp light above the heads of a group of people, soldiers alike. And there was Peeta with Haymitch and the others trying to keep him calm.

"How can you leave her alone like that?" he shouts with an angry ring to it and no one can make Peeta angry like that other than when it comes to me. That's when I realize the whole scenario is probably about me.

"It was her call," says Haymitch who has Peeta's shoulder while another woman is right behind him, preventing him to launch himself at Marcus, "you know how she likes to work, Peeta."

"Her call? And it's also her call not to return with the rest of you? You know the woods' probably surrounded by Jack Users and you still left her alone?"

"Peeta!" I call, unable to stop myself any longer as I see Haymitch's grip on him tightening.

Everyone turns to look at me and I ignore them seeing as the guy with blonde hair and blue eyes come striding toward me and in seconds I am in his arms.

"God," he whispers on my hair as he buries his head on my shoulder. I grip on him tight.

Before the gathering of soldiers disbanded, I distinctly heard someone say, "I watch those games years ago with them both. It's just like this one, only they're right in front of my eyes. Wouldn't believe it's true if I hadn't seen it." That's when I heard Vana shouting commands of taking turns in watching of the District.

"You okay?" Peeta looks me in the eye searchingly and I nod.

"I'm sorry I'm late," I say, slinging back my sheathe of arrows to my shoulder, "I covered about all the tracks I can think of before I noticed it's sunset. Have you taken your lunch yet?"

"No," he says after making sure I am not bleeding anywhere, "I thought you'd be late at least an hour but after three and they returned without you I thought something must've happened."

"It's okay, I'm here now." I told him with a press of a smile that urges him to let it drop and he did with a sigh. Haymitch is beside us at once.

"I told you she'd be fine," he says to Peeta, before looking straight at me, "but nice try, sweetheart."

He winks at me and then heads for his house while the other soldiers are still looking at us. I clasp my hands on Peeta's and is leading him back to our own house wanting to tell everything I heard from Vana and the others when he pulls into a stop.

I look back at him questioningly to find him staring at the medical soldier from Vana's troupe with that dark shade of hair and blue green eyes. She is looking at him intensely again and for a moment even I forgot that am there.

"Avee?" Peeta's voice woke me and I became aware of him again.

"Peeta?" I say, bewildered.

Peeta and the girl both turned to me and that's when I remember what made her so striking, what made her so distracting and what made me somewhat distinct to me— the look she's got on her eyes when she stares at Peeta pulls me in this haze of emotion I cannot quite distinguish yet.

That's when I saw the sign— her smile when Peeta's eyes found hers again.

"You forgot this." The girl called Avee hands in Peeta's blue jacket and as Peeta goes to retrieve it, I automatically tried to pull my hand away from him as if burned, tried to put a distance between us because that's when I realized that this girl, whoever she is, has something for Peeta deep within her smiles. Like I was the one trespassing on the moment...

My hand is just about to slip away from Peeta's when I felt him jerk my hand back and looks at me questioningly. I blink and I felt his iron grip on my hand. For some reason he didn't want to let go.

"Hang on," he says to me and with a quick turn, he takes his jacket and thanks her. And just like that, he leads me up the steps back to our house with an arm around my shoulder. "Are you okay?" he asks me as we near the house.

"Fine, really." I say with a little sigh that I find too worrisome for him so I smiled. "Why didn't you introduce me to her?"

"We can do introductions next time," he tells me, opening the door with a hand still on mine, "you look weary. It's probably because you didn't eat anything since breakfast."

"Who is she?" somehow, it was important to know.

"She's Avee, the medical assistant in charge of me. She's great you know. Are you hungry?"

He leads me to the table and starts on the kitchen with me staring at him.

"She's in charge of you?"I don't want to sound anything like I feel now, "You mean... she helps you through the process?"

"Uhuh." Peeta sets food in front of me and I see his clear blue eyes staring back, "But other than that, you know she's great at sketches too. She showed me her work during break time and she really knows how to do it."

"Better than you do?" I ask testily which made him grin.

"Well, there are different kinds of artists," he shrugs his shoulder and takes a bite on his loaf of bread, "She says it's her passion. She's sort of gentle; you know... the way how artists should be. I like her— hey?"

I stand up and leave the room without another word. I can hear Peeta picking himself up from the table but I don't wait for him. I head straight for my room and lock the door.

Maybe I'll regret my action of locking myself in. Maybe I'll hate myself for shutting Peeta out but I can't help it. I recognize that emotion instantly and it is kicking me in and if I don't keep Peeta away from it, who knows where I'll find the two of us next?

Because then it was ignited, that monster inside me. The one that destroys many people than any war: jealousy. Peeta does not deserve to see this ugly side of me after what I made him go through with Gale so I decided to keep it in and keep him out of it.

But how do I keep it inside knowing that there are days to come with that girl around? And how should I expect Peeta to understand that at that very moment, I don't want him to attend in any of that private session with that woman?

What an ugly side. It made me bury my face on my pillow.

As my head swam in slumber, I swear I had nothing in mind except the next time I meet him, I will be asking Peeta to come and join me in the Jack User's hunt.

I never had any night with too many nightmares like this one.

* * *

><p><strong>~To be Continued~<strong>

A/N: "It will continue to ignite for me!"

**_Thank you for reading!_**


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